When I awoke this morning the bear was still nearby, not watching me as such just there. Being a bear.

While I was having breakfast, I was thinking of the tales my mother used to tell me about the bears. She said they used to walk far nearer the Human and Aethri paths than they do now. They used to watch near the edges of the towns and sometimes in the bigger cities and settlements they would enter the town, sitting in the communal spaces, or snoozing nearby while a meeting was going on. They never entered peoples homes, they never took food or caused trouble, they were just there, living their lives nearby. She said they always felt calm.

The last time anyone in Bern remembers seeing a bear close up was about 30 years ago now, I was a tiny child in my cot and the whole village had gathered by the river for a celebration. My mother tells me that a bear just padded into the picnic area and right up to my basket. Apparently I touched his nose with my tiny hand. I have always loved that story, although I remember none of it.

As I walked through Brae Woods today, the bear stayed near. Sometimes off to the side, but frequently he walked ahead as if making sure I found my way.

As we walked it felt like he had always been there, walking with me, unseen until now.